Theatres at Mall of America die so that mysterious 'entertainment venue' can live

If you were planning on seeing Star Wars: Rogue One at Mall of America this weekend while your family members last-minute panic shop, then you're shit out of luck. The Theatres at Mall of America have stopped adding new movies to their schedule as they plan to close at the end of December.

So what is this mysterious entertainment venue? Mall social media and spokespeople are being secretive.

"After a successful eight-year run, Theatres at Mall of America will close at the end of day on December 28, 2016 to make way for a new, first-to-market entertainment venue which will open in late 2017," spokesman Dan Jasper kinda explained to Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Big changes already came to the top floor of the Mall of America earlier this week when Smaaash, a 40,000-square-foot gaming venue offering Go-Karts and virtual-reality games, opened. The venue is in it for the long haul, as it signed a nine-year lease and spent $12 million renovating the space.

Old-timers may remember the fourth floor's halcyon days of the late '90s and early '00s, when non-shopping revelers would head upstairs for a variety of activities, including bowling, karaoke nights, and more. Will changes bring its status back as the Mall's party floor? We shall wait and see.